1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to balloons; and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for stuffing objects such, merely by way of example, as teddy bears and similar soft stuffed animals and/or toys, real and/or artificial flowers, and similar objects or favors into the interior of conventional balloons.
More specifically, the present invention relates to highly simplified, low cost apparatus, and methods of operating the same, suitable for inserting objects into the interior of conventional balloons wherein the apparatus includes: (i) a relatively large diameter--e.g., from about one inch (1") to about four inches (4"), or more, but typically on the order of from about two inches (2") to about three inches (3")--tubular member which is open at one end, imperforate throughout its length, and closed and sealed at its opposite end; (ii) a coupling for connecting the sealed tubular member to a source of air, helium or other inflation medium; (iii) provision for mounting the inflation aperture, or mouth, and constricted neck, of a conventional balloon uniformly over, about and around the open end of the sealed tubular member so as to create a single, enclosed, common, sealed chamber defined by the interior of the tubular member and the interior of the uninflated balloon; and (iv), a piston-like ejector rod axially movable through the tubular member and capable of being manually shifted for ejecting the stuffed toy or other favor from the tubular member and projecting it into the balloon; and, wherein the user need merely insert the stuffed toy or other object into the tubular member, attach the uninflated balloon to the open end of the tubular member, energize the source of inflation medium so as to pressurize the tubular member and balloon interiors and thereby inflate the balloon, shift the ejector rod axially through the tubular member to push the stuffed toy or other object out of the open end of the tubular member and into the now inflated balloon, and to thereafter twist the narrow constricted neck of the balloon adjacent the inflation aperture into a tight spiral and/or otherwise tie off the inflation aperture of the now inflated stuffed balloon as it is removed from the tubular member, whereupon the stuffed animal or favor is permanently retained within the inflated sealed balloon until such time as the balloon bursts.
2. Background Art
There are many occasions when people desire to utilize balloons in some form in connection with celebrations such, for example, as birthdays for both children and adults, anniversaries, various types of parties, grand openings, and a wide range of similar celebrations. Moreover, it is often desirable to utilize other tokens of affection in connection with such celebrations--e.g., flowers and/or small gifts for adult birthdays, anniversaries and the like; or stuffed animals and/or toys, favors and similar items for childrens' birthday parties.
Indeed, on some occasions in the past it has been known to stuff such favors or similar items into a balloon prior to inflation thereof so that the toy, flower or other favor is delivered to the recipient in an enclosed sealed balloon and can later be removed from the balloon--for example, by or upon bursting of the balloon--and used for its intended purpose. However, while the stuffing of flowers and other favors into uninflated balloons is known, and has been achieved, the technique employed is plagued with a number of difficulties; and, as a result, it has been a technique only rarely employed. Thus, when stuffing conventional balloons, the technique requires manual insertion of the favor through the relatively narrow, constricted, inflation aperture and constricted neck of the balloon prior to inflation thereof. An exemplary patent illustrating this technique in U.S. Pat. No. 1,471,886--Dessau, a patent which issued almost sixty-five (65) years ago. Thus, Dessau suggests the favor or other device be formed of crepe rubber " . . . which can be easily fashioned into varying shapes and can be temporarily rolled up into a compact form . . . " so that it can " . . . be passed through the inflation aperture . . . " of the balloon (Dessau Specification, Lines 27-31).
Other prior art patents of interest include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,635,387--Anderson [a toy balloon novelty item employing a special valve configuration enabling inflation of a second balloon inside a first balloon]; 2,625,770--Steen, et al [a self-sealing toy balloon again providing for inflation of a second balloon within a first balloon]; and 2,927,383--Longino [a balloon world satellite employing a pair of spaced, inflated, concentric, spherical body members and a satellite captive within the space therebetween].
Other patents of interest contemplate the employment of specially designed inflatable devices which are not conventional balloons and which are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,232,477--Lin [an inflatable hassock-shaped toy]; 4,335,538--Greenberg [an inflatable overhead crib gym toy]; and, 4,639,232--Wang [a toy having an envelope enclosing a movable mechanism]. Generally stated, the foregoing patents disclose relatively complicated devices formed of a plurality of pieces of material which are heat sealed together after toys and the like are inserted therein to form an enclosed, sealed, inflatable device.
Yet another patent of incidental interest in U.S. Pat. No. 1,229,794--Salzer which discloses an illuminated toy balloon and lighting effect which is achieved by inserting a flashlight-shaped object through the inflation aperture and partially into an uninflated balloon.
However, none of the foregoing patents, nor any other prior art of which the present invention is aware, permits the insertion of objects such as flowers, stuffed animals and similar favors into a completely conventional balloon following inflation thereof; none permit the insertion of such objects into a conventional balloon where the object has external dimensions many times greater than the dimensions of the balloon inflation aperture; and, none permit the insertion of objects, such as stuffed teddy bears or the like, which can occupy up to THIRTY PERCENT (30%), or more, of the total volume of space within the inflated balloon. Moreover, the prior art of which the inventor is aware is totally devoid of any suggestion as to either special apparatus and/or methods for simplifying and readily facilitating the easy insertion of objects, including large overstuffed objects, into conventional inflated balloons.
In the foregoing co-pending related application, the present inventor has disclosed, and claimed, the stuffing systems which overcome all of the disadvantages inherent with known conventional systems. However, the specific embodiments of a balloon stuffing system disclosed in the aforesaid co-pending related application do not readily lend themselves to low cost mass production of the type desirable for producing consumer products suitable for use in virtually any home environment.